‘Gorgeous’

I don't usually make eye contact with dogs nowadays. When I do, they want to come home with me!

Are you quite sure it wasn't the dog who answered? I wouldn't put anything past a Great Dane!

Wonder how could the dog owner have heard Jackie thru the earbuds?

This is New York. I'm guessing the dog's owner hears some version of the "Gorgeous" comment on every walk and was just having a bit of fun with the passerby.

We shouldn't be too hard on this dog owner. Working out a lot has this rather strange mood enhancing effect that is over and above what ever physical goodness comes from the iron pumping. It makes you feeling strangely gorgeous. It's one of the reasons I keep lifting weights. But when I used to walk my Scottish terrier in the Village in the 70's, an Airedale's owner once told me that he had three groups of friends: his wife's, his own, and his dog's. He liked his dogs best. It's one of the reasons I still own a dog. Terribly sad to think that this Central Park dog walker is missing out on a great benefit of taking a stroll with a really gorgeous Great Dane.

This is funny! And I don't discount the possibility the jogger was having a bit of fun, and knowing what was intended by the compliment, returned it with a smile and some cheek for a bit of amusement.

I was working in a garden center when a gentleman said to a dog "Aren't you beautiful!" A lady in the same section clearly thought he was referring to her. Her eyes lit up and she looked really happy.

Gorgeous and humble!

I read your Diary entry, Jackie, and my immediate reaction was that the Great Dane's owner was a total narcissist. And then I thought that perhaps he was just making a joke. How could anyone be that self-absorbed? (Well, almost anyone...) I did say "he," didn't I? You never said if the Great Dane's owner was a man or a woman. Maybe the owner was "she." You're a sly one, Jackie. Did you withhold the gender of the Great Dane's owner to give us more to think about? If so, you succeeded, at least with me, as I'm now picturing myself walking south along Central Park West looking for the gorgeous Great Dane and its gorgeous owner.

Not necessarily misunderstand. More likely a simply clever response.

Obviously the Great Dane owner (don't be afraid to note male or female; this will not be seen as sexual harassment) thinks itself 'greater' ... which means 'not'!

This one left me flat. Tossed comments to others ?